The Sun. — London, England, 1826-06-01 00:00:00

Kingdom of the rule Which it has been determined to apply to England. Provision would thus be made for equally apportion ing among all parts of the Empire that charge, which is insepa rable in the first instance from the substitution of a metallic in the room of a paper currency. The wider the field over which a me- , , tank circulation is spread, the greater will be the security against its disturbance from the operation of internal or external causes, awl the lighter on any particular part will be the pressure inci dental to a sudden contraction of currency. The business of banking, and probably of all other commercial transactions con - nected with it, would be conducted on a more equal footing, in respect to profit, under a system of currency common to all parts of the Empire, than under one which' should confine to particular portions of it the privilege of issuing a certain description of paper. In proportion as the offence of coining shall be found to be more difficult Of execution, - and to be less frequently committed than the offence of forgery, in that degree, upon moral considerations, will a metallic circulation be preferable to one of paper. • These appear to your Committee to be the principal reasons in favour of extending to Scotland a system of currency which the Legislature has resolved to re-establish in England, reasons which seem decisive in favour of such an extension, unless they can he couutervailed by the proof of some peculiar circumstances in the condition of Scotland, justifying a special exception in her behalf, and by a strong presumption that such an exception can be ad mitted without prejudice to the interests of other parts of the Empire. The main object of the witnesses from Scotland, who were ex amined before your Committee, has been to prove the claim of Scotland to this exception. Their opinion, with very slight shades of difference, is decidedly adverse to any change in the laws which have so long regulated the issue of promissory notes in that country. In estimating, however, the weight due to their opi nions as authority, it ought to be borne in mind that a great part of the witnesses from Scotland were gentlemen immediately con nected with some of the banks in that country, subject therefore to the prepossessions which naturally spring from a long connec tion with existing establishments, and from a warm interest in the continuance of their prosperity. It is not improbable that, had the time permitted it, your Com mittee would have extended still further their inquiries; and they deem it on that account the more incumbent upon them to state the general nature of the testimony upon which they have come to their present conclusions. The witnesses examined by your Committee with reference to the state of the circulation in Scotland, were seven gentlemen, ',tainting in various relations to some of the Bunks in Scotland Mr. Kirkman Finlay, a merchant at Glasgow, Mr. Gibson Craig, a writer to the signet in Edinburgh, Mr. Hadden, a manufacturer in Aberdeen, Lieut.-Colonel Camplmell, factor to the Duke of Argyle, Mr. Gladstone, a member of the House, Mr. Moss, a banker of Liverpool; and • Mr. Birkbeck, u banker in the West Riding of Yorkshire, were examined as to the manner of conducting the business of banking and commercial transactions connected with it, in Lan cashire. Aft.• Gladstone was enabled also to give evidence upon some points relating to the circulation and commerce of .Scotland. Three of the Directors of the Bank of England gave their evi deuce, chiefly as to the hearing which a paper circulation in Scot land might have upon the interests of the flank of England, after the re-establishment of a metallic currency in this country. The grounds relied upon by the Witnesses from Scotland to Owe that it is neither necessary nor expedient to alter the laws which permit the issue of small notes in that country, appear to be the following : That these laws, so fur as they relate to notes between the sum of 20s. and Si. payable on demand, have remained unaltered since the first institution of banking in Scotland. That, coincident with the present system of currency, if not immediately owing to its effects, there has been a great and pro gressive increase in the manufactures, the agriculture, the com merce, the population, and the general wealth of the country. That during the civil commotions of the last century, in the rebellions of 1715 and 1745, the confidence in paper securities in Scotland was not shaken; and that the Scotch Banks maintained their stability, and were not called upon for any extraordinary issue of gold in exchange for their notes, during the shocks to which mercantile credit was exposed in this country in the years 1793, 1797, and more recently, in 1825. That it cannot be assumed, therefore, that a circulation of specie is necessary in Scotland for the purpose of guarding against the effects of sudden panic. 'That while Scotland had a Pape* Currency fin. the discharge of all autos above 200., England had, at least, for twenty years pre viously to the Dank 'Restriction, a currency consisting of the precious metals, to thin exclusion by law of notes below live pounds. That 'these different systems co-existed, and that no proof can ho adduced that the Paper Circulation of Scotland die. placed or interfered, in any material degree, with time metallic cur ... remy,uf pijAppi. twr 04411/1111 17114 ut 4 ♦M IIJ Scotland to the present time, the instances of the actual failure of a Scotch • Bank have been extremely rare, and that there have been only two instances in which the creditors did not ulti mately receive' the whole amount of the principal and interest of their debt. Lastly, that the inducement to the Scotch Banks to continue their - Branch Banks in many remote parts of the country in which they new exist, would be destroyed ; and that the whole system of deposits and cash credits would be most materially affected, if Oat Banks were compelled to forego the profit now derived from the issue of notes below five vomits. Per the opinions in detail of the witnesses from Scotland, on these and other points connected with the small note circulation in that country, your Committee must refer to the evidence an vexed to this Helium So far ne the interests of the Bank of England are concerned, it will be seen that the Directors of that Bank, who were examined before your Committee, urge no ob jection to the continuance of the present system in Scotland, pro. vided that the paper circulation of Scotland can be effectually restrained within the limits of that country. Upon a review of the evidence tendered to your Committee, end forming their judgment upon that evidence, your Committee cannot advise that a Law should now be passed, prohibiting, from a period to be therein determined, the future issue in Scot land of notes below five pounds. There are, in the opinion of your Committee, sufficient grounds In the experience of the past, for permitting another trial to be pude - of the compatibility of a Paper Circulation in Scotland with a circulation of specie in this country. Looldug at the amount of notes current in Scotland below the value of five pounds, and comparing it with the total amount of the paper currency of that country, it is very difficult to foresee the consequence of a law which should prohibit the future issue of notes constituting so large a portion of the whole circulation. Your Committee arc certainly not convinced that it would affect the cash credits to the extent apprehemled by some of the wit nesses; but they are unwilling, without Stronger proof of neces sity, to incur the risk of deranging, from any cause whatever, a ovstem admirably calculated, in their opinion, to economise the rise d capital, to excite and cherish a spirit of useful enterprise, and even to promote the moral habits of the people, by the direct inducements which it holds out to the maintenance of a character fur industry, integrity, end prudence. At the same time that your Committee recommend that the system of currency, which has for so lo n g a p eriod p revailed in Scotland, should not, under existing circumstances, be disturbed, they &el it to be their duty to add, that they have formed their judgment upon a reference to the past, and upon the review of a 404 of things which may hereafter be materially varied by the in eretialog wealth and commerce of Scotland, by the rapid extension of her commercial intercourse with England, and by the new eir curnstaimes that may affect that intercourse after the re-establish ment of s metallic currency in this country. Apart from theme general considerations, bearing upon the con clusion at which they have arrived, there are two circumstances to which your Committee must more particularly advert. • It is evident, that, if the small notes issued in Scotland should rent beyond the border, they would have the effect, in pro voirt:^o are their circulation should extend itself, of displ ac ing the ,ad even, in some degree, -the local currency of England, i n iorferem* with the system established for England, would be a manifest and gross injustice to the bankers of this part Of the %lire. If it should take place, and if it should be coluid impo „,a, e to frame a law consistent with sound and Just" principle, of legislation, effectually restricting th e circula tion of scotc h n oes within the limits of Scotland, there will lie, in the -opinion of your • Committee, no alternative, but the ex tension. to Scotland of the principle which the L eg i s l a tu re h as determined to apply to Ole country. The other cireunistance to winch your Committee meant to refer, as bearing materially upon their present decision, will ar i se in the event of a considerable increase in the crime of forgery. Your Committka called for Returns of the number of proseen tim; and convictions for forgery, and the offence of passing forged notes, during the last twenty years in Scotland, which Returns will be found in the Appendt. There appear to have lieen, during that period, no posec tions for the crime of forgery ; to beve bee►n eighty-six prosecu tions. • for the offence of issuing forged Promissory notes, fifty two convictions ; and eight instantes in which the capital sen tence of the law has been carried into effect. that out of the total num . it ought not to escape o bservatiou , -bee of prosecutions for issuing forged notes in the last twenty years, hirty-eight have been instituted in the years I 82), IEIV , , Isb4 109(; a fact w hi c h atewe tv warrant the apprehension that the crime of forgery is upon the increase in Scotland. It ought, however, to be observed, that the Return does not specify whe ther the forged notes, for the issue of which prosecutions have taken place, were in all instances notes of the Bank of Scotland. It is possible, therefore, that some of the prosecutions may have been directed against forgeries committed on the Bank of Eng land, or on hanks other than the Banks of Scotland. Your Committee will here close their observations with re spect to the Circulation of Scotland. They are well aware of the great advantage that would result from being enabled, in a matter of this nature, to express a clear and decisive opinion, unembarrassed by any qualification or reserve ; but they consider it to be their duty, in a complicated question that involves many important considerations, awl upon which the decision must be subject to future contingencies, to present the whole of those con siderations fairly to the House, and to qualify their present con clusions by a reference to possible circumstances, by the occur rence of which they might be materially affected. IRELAND. With respect to the circulation of Ireland, the inquiries of your CAnnmittee have been less extensive than those which they have instituted with respect to Scotland. The first law in Ireland which restrained the negociation of promissory notes, was an Act passed in the Irish Parliament in the year 1799. The preamble recites, that various Notes, Bills of Exchange, and Drafts for Money, have been for some time past circulated in lieu of cash, to the great prejudice of trade and public credit ; and that many of such Notes are made payable under certain te►mis with which the poorer classes of manufacturers and other►► cannot comply, unless by submitting to great extortion and abuse. It adds, that the issue of such Notes has very much tended to in crease the pernicious crime of forgery ; and the Act proceeds to apply to Notes between the value of five pounds and twenty shil lings, similar restrictions to those which had been applied to such Notes issued in England, by the Act which passed in the year 1777. It permits, however, during the suspension of Cash Pay ments by the Bank of Ireland, the issue of Bank Post Bills, Bills of Exchange, and Drafts, under certain regulations, for any sums not less than three guineas. This Act did not extend to the Bank of Ireland. In 1805 this, and some other Acts, which had passed in the interim, relating to tl►e issue of small notes, were repealed, and notes under 20s. which had been previously permitted under cer tain regulations by the Act of 1799, were declared void. There is at present, no law in force imposing any limitation to the period, for which notes for a sum not less than twenty shil lings may ho issued in Ireland. A tolerably correct estimate, of the amount of promissory notes above and below five pounds, circulating in Ireland, may be formed from the subjoined Returns, made by the Bank of Ireland, and by other Banks, at present established in the country BANK OF IRELAND NOTES. An account of the average amount of the Bank of Ireland Notes of five pounds, and upwards, (including Bank Post Bills), for the years 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, and 1825. Irish Currency. Notes and Post Bills of 51., and upwards £3,646,660 19 6 2. An account of the average amount of the Bank of Ireland Notes, under the value of five pounds, (including Bank Post Bills), for the years 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, and 1825. Irish Currency. Notes and Post Bills ander the value of 5/. £1,643,828 0 5 ri iy i~~ `~_,~ N t. 4o IA too to .1 inal "if. ~~ 4g . tz in rij en 4 1.1 tR . ni , 4* 4* 74 ^ ry O )4 0 (7$ 4-1 ai ` 1.4 40 "Z , ; ..4. l e: .it r .. I s ,a ',/, O y ~ a : 1 1.: 3 t t =4 4 it PI Xi 4, 0 .= f' 33 u O .11 .it 2 Is :zi t , _O. 3 8.- -°- g olv '2 0.1 ti t 44 Cll CI t a g - '4 es g g 7, g 1 0' 7 7 ; CO i" BP.' r; a ita. EA 41" tl ;" L I ij 6 a T-.. 5 tt cc 5 1 g 0 E .! .1 Q 4) a., it) km( g 0 It will appear from:the evidence, that a practice prevails in Ire land of issuing notes for the payment of sums between one and two pounds, for three guineas, and other fractional sums. Your Committee see no public fulvantage arising out of this practice, and they are of opinion that it ought to be discontinued, as it tends to dispense with the necessity of silver coin, and practi cally to exclude it from circulation. Your Committee hesitate, in the present imperfect state of their information, to pronounce a decisive opinion upon the general measures which it may be fitting to adopt with respect to the Paper Currency of Ireland. Although they are inclined to think that it would not he ad visable to take any immediate step for the purpose of preventing the issue of small notes in Ireland, their impression undoubtedly is, that a Metallic Currency ought, ultimately, to be the basis of the circulation in that country. It. will, probably, be deemed advisable to fix a definite, though not an early period, at which the circulation in Ireland of all notes , below five pounds shall cease ; and it is deservin g of consi ftentiont whether measures might not be adopted in the interim for the purpose of ensuring such a final result, by gradual, though cautions, advances towards it. LORDS' REPORT. By the Lorda' Committee, appointed a Select Committee to in quire into the St ate of Circulation of Promissory Notes under the value of 51. in Scotland and Ireland, and to report to the House ; and to whom wore referred the several Petitions and the avVvral Papers and Account * mawg to the Bunking System, and the circulation of Promissory Notes in Ireland and Scot land, which have been presented to the House this Session, REPORT. That the Committee have proceeded to the consideration of the subject referred to them by the House, and have collected from the examination of witnesses, and of the accounts laid before them, the information which will be found in the Minutes of Evidence, and in the Appendix. They do not think it necessary to enter into a detailed analysis of this mass of information, because the result of it would not lead, in their opinion, to the proposal to Parliament, during the present Session, of any measure affecting the circulating medium either of Scotland or of Ireland. They entertain no doubt that, upon general principles, it would be desirable that the same system of currency should prevail throughout Great Britain and Ireland. At the same time they are fully sensible, that to such an uniformity of system there may be obstacles which may render the attempt to establish it at any particular period, if not impracticable, yet liable to. inconveniences which might more than counterbalance the ultimate advantage to be derived from it. With respect to Scotland, to which the Committee wish, in the first place, to call the attention of the House, it is to be remarked that during the period from 1766 to 1797, when no small notes were by law issuable in England, the portion of the currency of Scotland, in which payments under 51. were made, continued to consist almost entirely of notes of 11. and 11. Is., and that no in convenience is known to have resulted from this difference in the currency of the two countries. This circumstance, amongst others, tends to prove that uniformity, however desirable, is not indispensably necessary. It is also proved by the evidence, and by the documents, that the Banks of Scotland, whether chartered or Joint Stock Companies, or private establishments, have, for more than a century, exhibited a stability which the Committee believe to be unexampled in the history of banking ; that they supported themselves, from 1797 to 1812, without any protection front the restriction by which the Bank of England and that of Irelatuk-7Sverelieved from cash payments; that there was little demeitil for gold during the late embarrassments in the circulation ; and that, in the whole period of their establishment, there are not more than two or three instances of bankruptcy. As, during the whole of this period, a large portion of their issues consisted, al most entirely of notes not exceeding 11. or 11. Is., there is the strongest reason for concluding that, as far as respects the Banks of Scotland, the issue of paper of that respect has been found com patible with the highest degree of solidity ; and that there is not therefore; while they are conducted upon their present system, sufficient ground for proposing any alteration, with the view of adding to a solidity which has so long been sufficiently established. This solidity appears to derive a great support from the con stant exchange of notes between the different banks, by which they become checks upon each other, and by which any over-issue is subject to immediate observation and correction. There is also one part of their system, which is stated by all the witnesses (and, in the opinion of the Committee, very justly stated) to have had the best effects upon the people of Scotland, and particularly upon the middling and poorer classes of society, in producing and encouraging habits of frugality and industry. The practice referred to, is that of cash credits. Any person who applies to a Bank for a cash credit, is called upon to produce two or snore competent securities, who are jointly bound, and after a full inquiry into the character of the applicant, the nature of his business, and the sufficiency of his securities, lie is allowed to open a credit, and to draw upon the Bank for the whole of its amount, or for such part as his daily transactions may require. To the •credit of this account he pays in such sums as he may not have occasion to use ; and interest is charged or credited upon the daily balance, as the case may be. From the facility which these cash credits give to all the small transactions of the country, and from the opportunities which they affisrd t 6 persons, who begin business with little or no capital, but their character, to employ profitably the minutest products of their industry, it cannot be doubted that the most important advantages are derived to the whole community. The advantage to the Banks who give these cash credits, arises from the call which they continually produce for the issue of their paper, and from the opportunity which they afford for the profitable employment of part of their• deposits. The banks are indeed so sensible that, in order to make this part of their business advantageous and secure, it is necessary that their cash credits should (as they express it) be frequently operated upon, that they refuse to continue them unless this implied con dition be fulfilled. The total amount of their cash credits is stated by one witness to be five millions, of which the average amount advanced by the banks may be one-third. The manner in which the practice of deposits on receipt is con ducted, tenth, to produce the same desirable results. Sums to as low an amount as 101. (and, in some instances, lower) aro taken by the Banks from the depositor, who may claim them on de nand. ,He receives an interest, usually about one per cent. be- Jew theAntirket rte. It is stated that these deposits are. • b rreat even , fen neauteu tor trom year to year, wet that the depositors are in the habit of adding, at the end of each year, to the interest then accrued, the amount of their yearly savings ; that the auras thus gradually accumulated belong chiefly to the labour ing and industrious classes of the community, and that when such accounts are closed, it is generally for the purpose of enabling the depositors either to purchase a Louse or to engage in business. It is contended by all the persons engaged in banking in Scot land, that the issue of one pound notes is essential to.the continu ance both of their cash credits and of the branch, banks established in the poorest and most remote districts. Whether the disconti nuance of one pound notes would necessarily operate to the full extent which they apprehend, in either of these respects, may, perhaps, admit of doubt; but the apprehensions entertained on this head by the persons most immediately concerned, might, for a time at least, have nearly the same effect as the actual necessity, and there is strong reason to believe, that if the prohibition of one pound notes should not ultimately overturn the whole system, it mast for a considerable time materially affect it. The Directors of the Bank of England, who have been exa mined before the Committee, have given it as their opinion that a circulation of notes of one pound in Scotland or in Ireland would not produce any effects injurious to the metallic circulation of England, provided such notes be respectively confined within the boundary of their own country. Notwithstanding the opinions which have been here detailed, the Committee are, on the whole, so deeply impressed with the importance of a metallic circulation below GI. in England, not only for the benefit of England, but likewise for that of all the other parts of the empire, that if they were reduced to make an option between the establishment of such a metallic circulation in Scotland, or the abandonment of it in England, they would recommend the prohibition of small notes in Scotland. But they entertain a reasonable expectation that legislative measures may be devised, which will be effectual in preventing the introduction of Scotch paper into England ; and unless such measures should in practice prove ineffectual, or unless some new circumstance should arise to derange the operations of the existing system in Scotland itself, or materially to affect the relations of trade and intercourse between Scotland end England, they are not disposed to recom mend that the existing system of banking and currency in Scot land should he disturbed. With respect to Ireland, the situation of that country, as to its circulation, and as to its system of banking, is materially different from that of Scotland. In Scotland there are three Banks, of which the proprietors are protected by Act of Parliament or Charter from personal responsibility beyond the amount of their respective shares; and there are many other Banks, consisting of a large end unlimited number of partners, personally responsible to the whole extent of their property, of which the aggregate amount is very considerable . . There are also branches or agencies of most of the Banks very widely established throughout the country. In Ireland, the only Bank possessing the advantage of a limita tion of personal responsibility is the Bank of Ireland, which, till a late alteration in the law, was the only establishment which was permitted to have more than six partners. The circulating me dium cens i stsi i n d ee d, in both countries, to a great extent, of Netts, under five pounds ; but the system of Banking in Ireland, instead of remaining unshaken for a long period, as that of Scot land, has experienced so many shocks, that its banking establish ments are now nearly confined to the Chartered Bank of Ireland and its local agencies, the branches of the Provincial Bank whit!), is eatablitned in London, one Joint Stock Company in Dublin and another at Belfast, the latter of which has local agencies, and a few private Banks in Dublin and Belfast. The issue of notes under 51, has been at different periods permitted and prohibited in Ireland ; there is therefore no prescription to plead sy fo ste r I t n hei a r st con tinuance, and there is no experience of ally snafu of cash credits in Scotland, which is stated to rest mainly upon their issue. There is not at present in Ireland the same check upon over-issues, which is derived in Scotland from the continual exchanges of notes between the different Banks ; and the failures of Private Banks have frequently spread the greatest distress over Com mittee .of the House of Commons in 1804, to h ave e xisted in Restric tionytaktoentilbeefitkoie,oi n I''rfie A po ct rt t i h o e n re e o a f p t it e ars c o o I n ); ryth. the e i v 'r h e i v e, i l o c u e sl Ireland a considerable metallic circulation, of the existence of which in Scotland the Committee are not informed. Many of the reasons, therefore, upon which the Committee have grou n d e d t h e i r opinion against any present provision for a future alteration in the currency of Scotland, do not apply to Ireland, and the introduction of a larger proportion • of metallic currency into the latter country appears liable to less difficulty than the ap plication of the woe principle to the former. There is, hove- • I § .4 E.+ g I 411 M T 1 4112 "IA d~ 411'4 I H 1..") 144 1 ... 7w 41 :1 ~~ ~~ co , g eui . .... -1-t" p.m 01 . r. 4 I Ira Pc 'ie . I 41 2 I . 4, MI = 1 a •.. G. 1 4 d -0 ..t 2 0 .z 4 , 5 N mc' C:. g,4 ` - o . 2 a I. E 4) 0 fah tz 4) 2 2 +l , l 0,7, 5 5 F. 4 , 2 - t rt) ever, a considerable difference in the opinions of the witnesses, whom the Committee have hitherto had the opportunity of ex amining. While all agree in the necessity of allowing the issue of paper below 61. on account of the small value of the articles which compose the daily transactions of the country, there are some who think that the inconvenience to be apprehended from any change in the present circulation would be only temporary, and would be materially mitigated by allowing the issue of notes of 21. or 31. There are others who state that any alteration by which the issue of 1/. notes should he prohibited, would cause the cessation, or at least the contraction, to a.most inconvenient de gree, of the accommodation nosy afforded to the country; that it would involve the discontinuance of many of the branches both of the Bank of Ireland, and of the Provincial Bank; and that it would put an end to the proipeet of establishing the Scotch system of cash-credits, into which system the Provincial Bank was be ginning to enter. The Committee cannot but admit it to be doubtful, whether, under the peculiar circumstances of Ireland, the Scotch system is capable of being transferred in all its parts, and with all its ad vantages to that country; hut they abstain from recommending, at the present moment, the adoption of any measure for as similating by slow gradations the circulating medium of Ireland to that which will become, at an earlier period, the circulating medium of England, only under the expectation, that further information and more experience, as to the effects and operation of the changes which have lately taken place in the banking system of Ireland, may lead to the formation of a decided opinion upon grounds more completely satisfactory than those upon which they could at present rest it. GENER AL ELECTION. TO MEMBERS, CANDIDATES, COMMITTEES, and ELscrons.—Being anxious to give the fullest and most correct account of the Elections throughout the Kingdom, we shall be very thankful to any Gentle man immediately interested, to favour us by post or otherwise, with the state of the Polling, and other matters connected with the Election, in his Town or County. (From the Kendal Chronicle.) WEST MO RE r, A ND.—Mr. James Brougham arrived here on Saturday last ; and on Monday morning, ac companied by a number of respectable gentlemen, commenced an active canvass on behalf of his brother. He has continued his exertions during the week, and we arc happy to add, with the most decided success. All the old friends of the cause stand firmly to their colour ; and the majority of new ones is great beyond all anticipation. The same cheering accounts are al most daily received from all parts of the county ; and we have little doubt but the struggle, in which the freeholders are now engaged, will end in the complete overthrow of the Lowther domination. Let the free holders remain firm, despising the tricks and bribery of their opponents, and tile victory is sure. The con test attracts the general attention of England ; for every man who values liberty sees into and detests the attempt to force the county to the will of one man by the length of his purse and the extent of his pa tronage. The fears of the Lowthers are manifested upon all occasions. One instance is amusing enough : Because the eldest son of one of the most ancient earldoms in the kingdom has dared to sign a requisi tion to Mr. Brougham to offer himself once more as a candidate for Westmoreland, the house of Low- ther holds out a threat of contesting the county of Lancaster, in opposition to the present repre sentatives. The gentlemen and enlightened elec tors of that county will smile with contempt at such a piece of bravado ; and the Autocrat of Westmoreland, as he looks from the bleak moun tains around Lowther Castle on the rich plains of Lan cashire, may indulge in a Pisgah-view of what he must never enter. But the threat is nothing but a trick, which exposes the fears and the desperation of the party. 'I he cause of independence, however, irgain big friends every day ; and we have au th or i ty for say , 1-.1... 17. 3 , a m.. 80 to Mr. Brougham, and that Sir Sandford Graham, Bart., is a friend to the rights and liberties of old W ..CMoro - land. An active canvass will immediately be corn- ' =need in every part of the county. A number of electioneering adbdorteb parties. ssesha have beets beg i ea en issiedlbviethteo d caouvise rse of the Yellow Committee to have some third-rate Grub street hack for the purpose of dressing up a few squibs for them, for really the attempts of their present scribe are beneath notice. Indeed, so much do they lack matter and writers, that they have been obliged to vamp up an old Yorkshire address respecting Catho licism, and are hawking it about as something new and original ! The Catholic questions forms the only subject of their addresses ; and so lack-a-daysical are these, that we understand they afford the old women (breeched and otherwise) great amusement in at tempting to guess their meaning. One of their addresses, we perceive, asks if Mr. Brougham does not receive a sum of money annually for advocating the cause of the Catholics ? If the propounder of this sagacious question believes such to be the fact, we are perfectly satisfied there is not another man in the kingdom of the same opinion. Bu't as he appears so very apt at putting questions, perhaps lie may also possess the knack . o f answer i ng t h em rea di ly, and just by way of trying his powers, w e w ill p ropose hi m one. Suppose Lord Lowther and his gallant brother receive between them, out of the taxes paid by the people, six thousand pounds per annum, how many stones of wheat flour at 38. per stone, would this sum purchase for the poor weavers now out of employment in Kendal ? A waggon-load of w i ne an d spir i ts h as b een forwarded from waggon-load Castle for Appleby ; so it appears they intend to " keep their spirits up by pour ing spirits down," though the publicans will not thank them for thus depriving them of their " vested rights." Tents are also to be erected in the open air for the voters—at least for such as are not considered " worth house-room." SO NIE RSET.-..< From a correspondent.)—On Fri day Mr. Henry Hunt entered the county of Somerset for the p ur p ose o f commenc i ng his canvass. O n t h e 27th, he arrived at Taunton in his barouche, four-in hand, attended by a great many of the yeomep of the county, whose dislike to Sir Thomas Lethbridge was testified by the cheers which they bestowed on his an tagonist. There were also some unequivocal symp toms of hostility manifested. Mr. Hunt was asked, whether he came to blacken the shoes of the electors ; to which he replied, that he would have no objection to do so, if he could only succeed in his more import ant object of enabling the poor to get plenty of the other articles in which he dealt. Some declared, that he was a disturber of the peace of the county, and de oh e ll ehe s ter gaol aga i n . N ear the Write sent addressed between 3,000 an d 4,000 of the yeomanry and inhabitants, from his car riage. I a m det erm i ne d , " said he, to appear on the day of nomination for th e county, and in the mean de served In time, I shall canvass in person, or by my friends, the whole of the extensive and popu nus county of Somer set. With the blessing of the Lord I'll d stan the poll . us long as na y opponents are able to bring a vote against me.—(Laughter.) —A question has been fre quently asked about me :—What, say those who are in the confidence of the other candidates, could Hunt do Parliament Give me leave, l before I answer that question, to ask what had either of your present members done ?..--(Voices in the crowd, Nothing:)--Have they ever proposed 0 carried a measure for the public good ?—(Cries Nevr.')—Have they ever lightened the burdens of their own particular county, even to the amount ofs halfpenny in turnpike tolls ?—(Cries of Never.)-- Or . in any other shape ?" Mr. Hunt then produced a squib, in which some political foe had thought pre. per to attack his blacking trade. He was not, he said, ashamed of that trade, and Mr. Dickinson's frien had certainly acted injudiciously in thus throwing th d e first stone, for Mr. Dickinson, it could be; pro ved, himself carried on the blacking_ trade,' under the most revolting circumstances. Notwithstanding hie high philanthropy, Mr. Dickinson dealt in ' blacks: (Cheers and laughter.)—Nearly the whole of his re • venue, by which he kept up so respectable a shoe amongst his neighbours in Somersetshire, was draw n from amidst the groans and anguish of poor c reature?. whose colour was their only crime. It would b' shown by him also, since his enemies had beton t o . calumniate him, that Sir. Thomas Lethbridge li ewiee • dealt in blacking.' With the blessing of the Lord, he would prove that that Hon. Baronet had dabble d . in the filthy blacking of borough politics.—(Roars laughter.)—And he believed the use made by him ° I that odious material was not confined to Taunt°,ll' Indeed, the elegant structure opposite to him market-house) was scarcely cleansed from the s ect of a foul exhibition which had been lately made tliere. He hoped his own blacking con cern would not any more, be compared to the two blacking establishinent,is ef his honourable competitors.—(Loud laughter.) 1 1 blacking was not allied to that most dreadful of it burdens--a black heart. It would soil the hands, I)",i` Is source was not the source of corruption."—(L" cheers.) It is expected that there will be more fun at this contest than has been witnessed for many years. M r ' Hunt, whether he succeeds or not, will have the 06 ' faction to know, at the termination of the election, ths 31 he has been the cause of the circulatio n of a good de. of money in the county ; and as the expelleese at ss te til nd, mg his two attempts at Bristol amounted to l resenl 401. he may calculate upon getting ou t Of the p struggle upon equally moderate terms. Dover . D w r 2 a ß rcon A ven p ed thl o i l e l Tmocent(ilnayg, in the Poultry, which was attended by u pwards 011 ' 1 persons. Upon the chair being taken, ableßutter, worth addressed the meetina at conside lengt' upon his Parliamentary conduct b ; and resolution! were put from the chair, approving of the same, 0 " 1 at t f ti t i li e e pledging the meeting to support his re-clection. M 1 K. Beauchamp then rose, and in an animated aol eloquent spe e ch, proposed an amendment expres_y of the disapprobation of the freemen of Dover of M 1 Butterworth's c onduct, and declaring their intentio to support G'. P. Thomson, Esq. in opposition tolll. K f i l n .e ,g e , i s ne i li e,. ; , ' The freemen divided upon the amendment, whe" t e n appeared for the amendment, in favour of Mr. rfliei.. son, 53 ; against it, 27 ; Majority in &your of 1 , Thomson, 26. Mr. Butterworth then again address:, the meeting, and solicited their second votes, hat au not more successful than before in his application, a' the meeting separated. Mr. Polhill, of the firm of Messrs. Polhill au Jones, tobacco-merchants, High-street, Southwrl.vo a candidate for that borough at the ensuing electli Mr. Polhill's father represented Southwark for ola years in Parliament. Calvert is also a candidate. . LEOMINSTER.—' Mr. Bish offers himself for th Borough. HELsTOII.-- r n le Marquis of Carm atesarthe f or a? Lord James To wnshend, are candi d d borough. Hum..—We are informed that Mr. Mitchell declared his intention of withdrawing from thi Presentation of Hull. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE• The J as per s loop, at Chatham, has been re-commisionea' The American ship Endeavour , arrived off Plyn .1 iout!, plundered in let. 29. 82. N. long . 40. b y a privateer of and 80 men, said to be from Carth a g ena, and the CaptAi!'ato lombian. Another, of nearly a simi l a r description, is sou cruising off the Western Isles. APPOINTNIENTS. Captain U. R. Moorsom, to the Jasper sloop, at Chat hi f; Captain H. S. Butt, to be an Out-pensioner of Ore e Hospital, Mr. Mr. jP James Hospital, c viceeg g oy G: r e L l) l :t t c ,: ) t a b osre:beSurgeon,ddg. Clerk e wick ° Mr. J. Wilson (C), Surgeon,RiNl4.tototitriejaanvg: . sailed 114. 0 , 1 Guernsey ; Julia, Sargeant, from Domingo ; DIAL, River the Ruby, Mowles, from Havannah; Jessie, Wintr'irsi mAy 3 I L . E.O w Y i D nd S iv i.— .E ( ._ Tn A is rr D iv .t ed v.) alla t i lie m n d o it t;, uir ica C liar I o tta, Stanberg, port, front Portsmouth. Also arrived the Car uluil port 4 an d thelO ti ; ti ni l i i ) falmbery, from Stockholm ; Johannue, Gab's frorfilierord from ditto; James, Applegren, from Lisbon ; Andre P ,lr t , • I a the I ° l Simpson, from Trieste. Salle itnee et'i; s Moaely, for St. Domingo; Manly , Sayers, 14 r St ,..„.. r y' 1 the Arcadian, Whillis, for Berbie. At h P. 1 • 1 " - ;: i i i kio Harrison,PolTratOUTll, MAY 31..—Wind N...... Arrived w e -ii i from Falmouth, for Sheerness. e j die 1) PLYMOUTH, MAY 30.—Wind E N.E.--Arrly no rt, 1 ernPiet Dawson, from R• Sailed • t .11 to n6 r Riga. the Napa ' Bermuda. rubor) e el' FALMOUTH M • (1 the Li- -- I i 0 AY 30.—Wind E.—Arrwe ~ Apo from the Leeward Islands sailed from St. Th° ls l / 1/- ,, Ile Off the port the French ship , • Rion, f In ' —iti ' 'P' ) Cornelia, l .° la Liver 'P' 34 days, for H "re. The ship Antigua packet. fr° b oa, arrived at Antigua April 26. Sailed the gal' . _,,,,, Glasgow. f Ab erP- H.kawirii q Greigs, laden "AY -A.—Wind The Bruce ° sx i o dor _ at with sugar, tobacco, and cotton, frO ot h 01 11 h Igh, was lost on the Sand the - . s t Long nu 0 „ 0 0 0 0, crew saved and bales of landed here by the Perseverance I ''' cotton have been landed at Margate. • fri!in Torra i ,ito . 1. The Shipley transport, from Cowes to the ` th e l a l t i ls e4l4:l troops on board, was totally lost at Ilarbadoes n the I I" crew, troops, women, and children, were all se 0 t in h e e re p i T a e l a aff ent ai The connexion between the money ----'— ey-Ills r , ket ß i l li t ti h : ; ll , ' moment, o ‘ m v a e s n tn, e s v o er ti t i n a o t r i e t clearly coley—or p of ractice with the stockholder to inquire into the oid The chief sales yesterday w the exchanges, and the colonial m arket , a i s ss buf to l • its transactions ; being aware, that to i l 0 1 ~ i i '' profits are made by foreign trade,nu ln wet 117 the t di n" 0 vestments in Govennnent securities tral tat 0 co ce, 01$ , prices, in consequence of some large large Wes t , 1 tO P rivals, which lead the, consumers of that art c ' e re ll o pact a farther depression. Of sugars also , t. 11 ?,,,0 0 ' g av ot le e been some large importations front tile first . • • r profiting )y the act of Parliarrielit,Which has Voie „f be i b the . sugars of that colony with those ~- t o p - . , Indies, which are producing' a -similar Wee lier ci sales . of that article. On a general view of c °3 ',:et,„,t l '' affairs, there is no encouragement to declare 89 d 11 any symptoms of improvement have appea r ' the on article of cotton is an exception, but ' alin t ' st - one,. Times. in lirveolietite,i,,e,:,ii